An Old Friend
by FearMyPandora
Summary: Haru has gone missing. Even he himself does not know where he is. But, there's no reason to fear. His kidnapper is one who loves him dearly. Short summary, yeah. Sorry 'bout that. But it's good. I think. You know. Don't wanna seem conceded.


**I had told myself that I would only work on one story at a time... but then I thought: Oh, what the hell! I'll make a oneshot!**

**So I made one. Any objections? Didn't think so.**

**I don't own Free! in any shape, form, or fashion. It's quite sad, actually. But please enjoy!**

* * *

Haru looked around, but all he could see was pure darkness. It circled around him and threatened to swallow him whole. He couldn't even see his own hand. There was absolutely nothing but darkness.

When he tried to call out, he could not. He tried and tried and tried, but his voice would not come. It didn't even seem stuck in his throat, like when he was happy. It was like it simply did not exsist.

Silence and darkness. That was it. That was all that made up this nightmare he was stuck in. It was horrible, and it left him terrified and sick to his stomach. He wondered if he could escape, but there was no way to escape a dream.

Suddenly there was light. It projected on a small part of the darkness, like a screen. Then, a noise. No. A voice.

"Haru?!"

Makoto. His friend's worried face appeared on the screen. He stood in Haru's bathroom, looking at a full bathtub. It was full, but it was empty- because there was no Haru, like there should be.

"Where on Earth are you?" Makoto called out as he left the bathroom to search the rest of Haru's house. He was sure he would find Haru in the bathtub as always, and was worried when that was not the case.

After Makoto had searched the entire house, he was past the point of worry. In was in full out panic mode. He pulled out his phone to call everyone Haru might've told where he was going.

"What's up, Mako-chan?" Nagisa's energy-filled voice answered. Even though it was on the other side of the phone, Haru could hear it as clearly as he could hear Makoto.

"Have you seen Haru?" Makoto asked. Maybe Nagisa wasn't the first person Haru would've told where he was going, but Makoto didn't think about that at the moment. He just wanted _someone_ to tell him Haru was safe.

"Nope," Nagisa answered. His happiness was decreased a little, hearing the worry in Makoto's voice. "What happened?"

"I can't find him."

"Call Rin-chan!" Nagisa demanded quickly, worry filling him also. Haru was almost always findable, unless he really, really wanted to swim. Then he disappeared easily. But he normally told Makoto where he was going because he knew how his friend could worry.

Makoto nodded, even though Nagisa couldn't see him. It was too late, anyway. Nagisa had already hung up, probally to call Rei. If not, hopefully he could run around town to search for the missing water-loving boy.

Makoto hesitate and looked at his phone for a moment before calling Rin. There was a good chance he wouldn't even answer. He didn't seem to like company that much, even when it was only a voice on the phone.

"What?" Rin answered with a snarl. Thank God he picked up. Makoto wouldn't know what to do if he hadn't.

"Have you heard from Haru?" he asked.

"Haru? No. Why?" Rin's voice held curiousity now, which meant he would let Makoto speak and not hang up on him.

"We can't find him," Makoto told him. The line went silent for a moment, and he wondered f Rin had hung up after all, until loud laughter came from Rin's side. "How is that funny?"

"He's Haru," Rin said after he calmed down and stopped laughing. "He'll disappear. We all know that. We've _always_ known that. Have you checked the beach or any nearby pools?"

"Nagisa is checking now." At least, Makoto hoped so.

"He'll find him," Rin told Makoto. "He'll be in the water, half asleep and staring up at the sky. Chill." Then, as if unsure of himself, "Call me when you find him."

"Sure," Makoto agreed. He closed his phone and put it back into his pocket, looking towards the sky. Maybe Rin was right. Maybe Haru was fine, enjoying the water. But then again, maybe he was laying in a floor, kidnapped because of his pretty face.

Haru stared at the screen, not really shocked by the events. His friends always worried more than they needed to and acted like he couldn't take care of himself. He wasn't sure why, but they always looked out for him.

This reminded Haru of the time he had fallen into a river while it was snowing. Well, he said fell, but he actually just stepped in. But _then_ he fell, and was washed downstream.

When he had finally gotten hold of a rock and climbed out, he didn't regonize where he was. All he could do was take shelter under a bridge, because his parents had warned him to never talk to strangers. He should've walked to the nearest store and gotten help, but he didn't. He thought he was doing as his parents instructed him.

He was almost frozen to death by the time a couple found him two hours later. He hadn't wanted them to come near, but had no energy to fight. They had taken him to the hospital quickly and saved his life. He wanted to thank them when he was better, but they had already gone.

When he had woken up, everyone was there. He had expected them to be crying and hugging him like in movies. But no. As soon as they were sure he was fully awake, they all began to lecture him at once. It had taken all of his energy as soon as he had gotten it back.

_It's because you are loved._

Haru was shocked. He looked to the screen, where Makoto was running around the beach, searching in both sand and waves. He knew the voice hadn't come from his friend, though. It was much more... _impressive._

Haru wished he could speak, and ask who was there. A voice without a body was more frightening than he had thought. He knew after this was over, he'd have a new respect for horror movies.

_That's an interesting thought. You compare me to a horror show?_

Haru hadn't compared the voice to anything. He had simply thought the experiance itself was unsettling. If the voice wanted to be compared to something, Haru would rather compare it to a ghost or spirit, although he did not believe in such things.

_I assure you I am no ghost. It hurts me that you do not know me, even when we are so close._

He wondered if the voice meant close as in actual distance or in relationship wise. If it was the distance, Haru found that even more unsettling. If it was a relationship meaning, then he only had a relationship with his parents and friends.

The voice didn't say anything else, so Haru decided to try and figure out who it was. If he was close with them, it could be any of his friends, but he knew it was not. He stretched his hands forward in attempt to try and feel anything close by. There was nothing near.

He huffed in frustration. The voice sounded both male and female, if that were possible. Genderless. It was soothing, and gentle, yet also commanding and feirce. He made him want to be embraced by it, but to also run.

_Think harder, little one. _

Haru was thinking as hard as he could! If it would just give him straight answers instead of spinning him around like a tornado he may be able to figure something out.

_But I am a riddle. None can ever know me. It simply is how it's always been. Yet, you seem to know me. Then again, you do not seem to know me. Perhaps it is you who is the riddle._

He didn't know who the voice was, but he knew he found them very, very annoying at the moment. But since he also did not know if it had any way to harm him, Haru quickly turned from that thought to a different one.

Was the voice the one that had trapped him in this nothingness?

_I would never trap you. That would be the last thing I'd want to do. I want you to be free._

Haru laughed. Well, why hadn't it said so earlier? Now he knew exactly who the voice was. His oldest and most faithful friend.

The voice laughed. _Yes, Haru. It seems you do know me. I love you, just as you love me. I just wanted to let you know that I was not the only one. You must always remember those around you, my little one. They love you._

Haru blinked at the sunlight. He looked down at his feet. Sand squished between his toes as the waves pulled in and out. He was on a beach.

He looked back to the water, smiling at it. That had been the most odd experiance of his life. Nothing to worry about, though. He had been safe the entire time.

"Haru!"

Haru turned back and saw Makoto running for him at full speed. When he got to Haru, he wrapped him arms around him and hugged him as tight as he could until Haru couldn't breath anymore.

"Air! Makoto, air!" he cried. Makoto let him go, but his face warned Haru that this disappearance would not go unlectured. Joy.

"Where _were_ you?!" he demanded.

Haru could only smile and look back at the ocean. "With an old friend."


End file.
